Tree-choking apparatus

ABSTRACT

A log skidder having a winch, a main line and an arch is provided with a movable boom assembly which mounts a tree shear at its end. Also mounted on the boom assembly is storage means for storing a plurality of choker cables which are attached to the main line, power means for encircling a tree with a choker cable to choke the tree, and a tree clamp. To harvest a tree, the boom is positioned near the tree and the clamp is actuated to orient the shear and power means relative to the tree. The power means are then actuated to encircle the tree with the choker cable and the shear is actuated to feel the tree, whereupon the skidder may then move to another tree to repeat the same sequence. In this manner, a plurality of trees may be choked and felled in rapid succession.

Unite all States Patent [72] Inventors John G. Smith Markham, Ontario;Daivd L. Spanjer, Willowdale,0ntario, Canada [21] Appl. No. 817,746 [22]Filed Apr. 21, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971 [73] AssigneeMassey-Ferguson lnc.

Des Moines, Iowa [54] TREE-CHOKING APPARATUS 11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[5 2] US. Cl 144/3, 144/ 34 [51] Int. Cl A0lg 23/02 [50] Field ofSearch..144/3 (4),2 (21), 34, 34(l--5), 309 (34) [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,797,063 3/1931 Meister 144/3 3,102,563 9/1963Horncastle 3,460,594 8/1969 Burkhalter Primary ExaminerGerald A. DostAttorney-Gerhardt, Greenlee & Farris storage means for storing aplurality of choker cables which' are attached to the main line, powermeans for encircling a tree with a choker cable to choke the tree, and atree clamp. To harvest a tree, the boom is positioned near the tree andthe clamp is actuated to orient the shear and power means relative tothe tree. The power means are then actuated to encircle the tree withthe choker cable and the shear :is actuated to feel the tree, whereuponthe skidder may then move to another tree to repeat the same sequence.In this manner, a plurality of trees may be choked and felled in rapidsuccession.

PATENTED APR27|97| 3.576201 SHEET 1 BF 5 INVIN'HHIS. JOHN G. SM/TH 04W0 1. SPA/W5? N dmwk mguumu ATTORNEY-5.

SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTED APR27 |97| 2m wm m N Mamm W0 ww W Q PATENTEB m2?19m SHEET 3 OF 5 ITNVENTORS. JOHN G. 5/14/79 BY DAV/0 L SPAN/5Q N C)M001. ATTORNEYS.

PATENTED m2? I971 SHEET [If 5 mm a MM .J NM

PATENTEB APR27I97I 33576; 201

sum 5 r INVENT ATTORNEYS.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for transporting trees andmore specifically to power means for choking a tree.

The most widely used method of harvesting trees is to manually felltrees, attach choker cables to the felled trees, winch the trees intoclose proximity to a skidder, and skid the trees from the stump to alanding. Thismethod requires the use of manual labor to operate askidder and to choke and usually also requires that the skidder be idleduring the slow manual choking operation. Because of the high cost ofmachinery and the increasing cost of manual labor, there is a need for amore productive and economical method of tree harvesting.

To further mechanize the harvestingprocess, power tree fellers in theform of power shears mounted on tractors or skidders have beendeveloped. Skidders have been provided with boom grapples for gatheringfelled trees during skidding. Also machines known generically as fellerskidders have been developed to fell trees and secure the tree cut endsto the machine for skidding. These operations are more economical, butare not ideal for several reasons. Use of a grapple skidder requiresseparate felling and a tree marshalling operation. Also, if a grappleskidder or feller skidder should lose traction, there is no expeditiousway to drop the trees and move to firmer ground without moving beyondreach of the trees. However, in conventional choker skidders, iftraction is lost, the logs may be dropped while the skidder moves tomore solid ground, whereupon the logs may again be winched back to theskidder.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide means on askidder for power choking a tree thereby retaining the advantages of thechoker cable and winch.

It is another object to provide a skidder with means for sequentiallypower choking and felling a tree.

It is a further object to provide power means for attaching a chokercable to a tree.

In its broadest sense this invention consists of apparatus fortransporting trees, including cable means and power means for encirclingthe cable means around a tree to attach the tree to the cable means andenable movement of the tree by the apparatus.

More specifically, this invention comprises a tree-harvesting machineincluding a means for felling a tree, a winch, cable means operativelywound on the winch, and power means for encircling the cable meansaround a tree to attach the tree to the cable means and enable movementof the tree by the winch after felling.

These and further objects and features of this invention can be readilyunderstood by reference to the following detailed description of theattached drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a side elevation of a skidder having a boommounted fellingshear and embodying a tree-choking apparatus according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the felling andchoking apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of tee felling .and chokingapparatus shown in tree-approach position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the tree clamped;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing choking of the tree;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing a choked tree after it hasbeen felled by the shear;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the choker cable latch means,shown latched;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the latch;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along lines 9-9 of FIG. 0;and

FIG. I0 is a sectional view taken generally along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Referring now to FIG. I of the drawings, a four-wheel drive articulatedskidder II), of the type shown in copending applications Ser. No.759,646, filed Sept. I3, 1968,

. Adjustable Skidder Arch and Ser. No. 755,532, filed Aug.

27, 1968, Skidder With Rear Pivoting Means, is provided with a fairleadarch 12 having a fairlead horizontal roller I4 over which is threaded acable or mainline I6. One end of mainline 16 is connected to aconventional power-driven winch 18 mounted on the rear section 20 of theskidder.

Behind the drivers cab 22 of skidder I0 is mounted a platform 2 whichpivotally mounts a boom support 26 driven by a hydraulic cylinder 27. Aninner boom 28 is pivoted at 30 to support 26 and pivotally supports atits other end 32 an outer boom 34. Inner boom 23 is positioned by ahydraulic cylinder 36 which is pivoted at 38 to support 26 and at 40 toboom 28. Similar control of outer boom 34 relative to boom 28 isprovided by a hydraulic cylinder 42 which is pivoted at 44 to boom 28and at 46 to boom 34.

A pivot head 48 is horizontally pivoted at 50 at the lower end of boom34 and is positioned relative thereto by a hydraulic forward tiltcylinder 52 which is pivoted at 54 to boom 34 and at 56 to pivot head48. IPivot head 48 laterally pivotally mounts a generally upright shearhead 58 at 59.

Referring additionally to FIG. 2,- a housing 60 is rigidly mounted atthe lower end of shear head 58 and houses a pair of hydraulic shearcylinders 62 which are pivoted thereto at 64. The other ends of cylinder62 are pivoted at 66 to shear blades 68 that are pivotally supported at70 between the upper and lower walls of housing 60.

Theshear head 58 is tilted laterally of outer boom 34 by a hydraulicside tilt cylinder 72 which is pivoted at 74 to housing 60 and ispivoted at 76 to a bracket '73 rigidly mounted on pivot head 48. Asviewed in FIG. 2, operation of cylinder 72 causes tilting movement ofshear head 58 about pivot 59.

Adjacent its upper end, shear head 58 rigidly mounts a support bracket'80 which pivotally mounts a pair of clamp arms 82 at 84. Outwardly atpivots 84, arms 82 are each pivoted at 36 to a hydraulic clamp cylinder88. Each cylinder 88 is pivoted at its rearward end 90 to supportflanges 92 which are secured to support bracket 30. Extension of thecylinders 88 causes the outer ends of clamp arms 82 to approach eachother as will be later described.

Between the lower plate 94, bracket 30 and a support bracket 96, a pairof choker arms 98 and 100 are mounted on pivots A hydraulic choker armcylinder 102 is pivoted at 104 to arm 98 and at 106 to plate 94 andcontrols the position of arm 98. Similarly, a hydraulic choker armcylinder 108 is pivoted at 110 to arm I00 and at 112 to plate 94 andcontrols the position of arm I00. A magazine 114 is mounted at the outerend of arm 100, while a pickup device 116 is pivoted to the outer end ofarm 98, to be later described.

Referring now to FIGS. I and 3, the mainline I6 terminates in a nubbin118. A plurality of choker cables 120 are connected by conventionalfasteners ll22 to the mainline 16. A latch member or stud I24 is mountedat the other end of each choker cable 120. Another latch or socketmember 126 is slideably mountedintermediate the ends of each cable 120.

Referring again to FIG. 2, each of the studs 124 is received withinslots 128 formed in spaced walls of a clip 130 slideably mounted withina housing 132 of magazine 114. Clip 130 is biased upwardly by resilientmeans (not shown) to engage the upper stud 124 with the lower edge ofthe housing. The housing also includes a front protective wall 134 whichis spaced beneath housing 132 to permit front access to the upper stud124. A side shield 136 is also provided to align cables I20 and preventa pull thereon from dislodging studs 124 from slots 128. The shield 136is also spaced beneath housing 132 to permit the top cable to be pulledfree.

A magazine 138 is mounted on a strut 140 which projects upwardly fromthe shear housing 60. A plurality of socket members 126 are verticallyarranged within the magazine 138 and are biased upwardly so that theupper most socket member 126 abuts a pair of arms I42 which are pivotedat 144 to spaced flanges I46 mounted on the magazine 138. The chokercables 120 project from either side of magazine 138 through verticalslots 148. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the

uppermost socket member 126 is held against lateral movement by theupwardly projecting sidewalls 159 of the magazine 1311.

.The pickup device 116 comprises an upper plate 152 and a depending hook154, and is pivoted at 156 to the. end of arm 98. The magazine 1311 ispositioned to lie in the path of movement of pickup device 116. Themagazine front and rear walls are notched to fully expose the uppermostsocket member 126.

The of the afonedescribed apparatus will now be described with referenceto FIGS. 3-6, which schematically depict the sequential operation of theconstruction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The skidder 10 is driven near atree T, preferably on the right side of the skidder, as shown in FIGS. 1and 3, and the winch 18 is put in a free-spool condition. The hydrauliccylinders 27, 36 and 42 are then operated to position the shear head 58in close proximity to the tree, while cylinders 52 and 72 are operatedto correct for any tilting of the shear head relative to the tree. Afterthe shear head 58 has attained the position shown in FIG. 4, in whichthe shear blades 68 are positioned about the tree, the clamp cylinders88 are extended so that arms 82 securely grasp the tree.

As shown in FIG. 5, cylinders I02 and 108 are next actuated to attach achoker cable 120-about the tree. Upon actuation of cylinder 108, arm11111 will encircle the tree approximately 180 with its uppermost stud124 positioned for fastening. Upon actuation of cylinder 102, arm 9%moves pickup device 116 through the magazine 138 between flange 146 tograsp the uppermost socket member 126 between plate 152 and hook 154.Continued movement of arm 1'98 carries the socket member 126 around thetree where it lockingly engages the stud 124.

After the tree has been clamped and choked, the shear cylinders 62 areactuated to close the blades 613 and sever the tree T, as shown in FIG.6. At this point cylinders 52 and 72 may be operated to tilt the severedand clamped tree away from the skidder, whereupon cylinders 1112 and1118 are retracted to retract choker amis' 98 and 101) and cylinders 118are similarly retracted to retract clamp amrs S2. The tree '1' will thenfall away from the skidder so that the fastener 122 pulls on chokercable 126 to pull it through socket member 126 and tighten it about thetree. 01 course, other means to directionally fell the tree could beused.

The skidder is then driven to an adjacent tree where the sequentialclamping, choking, and severing will occur. The mainline 16 will pay outfrom winch 111 which is in free spool and is weighted by the previouslychoked and felled tree. This operation continues until a full load hasbeen gathered and/or all of the choker cables have been used. At thispoint the mainline 16 is winched in with the choker cables 120 to bringthe tree butts close to the skidder. The skidder 10 is then driven to anearby landing, whereupon the cables 120 are disengaged from themainline 16 in a conventional manner by unlatching the fasteners 122.

The construction of stud 124 and socket 126 and the latching operationthereof will now be described with reference to FIGS. 710. The stud 124comprises a shank portion 157 which is secured to the end of the chokercable 120. The shank 157 terminates in a necked down portion 158 whichexpands to a spherical head portion 160 having a circumferential land 162 of reduced diameter formed thereabout.

The socket member 126 comprises a housing 164 having lands 166 formed onits top and bottom surfaces for engagement by the plate 152 and book 1%of pickup device 116. Between the lands 166, housing 164 is laterallybored at 168 so that cable 120 may freely slip therethrough. Anelongated aperture 170 is formed in the front face of housing 164 andopens into an entry bore 172 having a diameter slightly larger than thecircumferential land 162 of the stud head 160.

When the ends of arms 98 and 1111) are forced together by cylinders 102and 108, stud head 1611 is introduced axially into bore 172. Adjacentbore 172 is formed another bore 174 of equal diameter which tapers to aflange 176 of a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of neckeddown portion 158 of stud 124. Bore 174 then tapers out at 178 toaperture 170. The width w of the intersection of bores 172 and 174 issmaller than the diameter of land 162 to prevent passage of stud head160, but is larger than the diameter of shank 157 to permit its passagebetween the bores. At the bottom of the bores 172 and 174, the housing164 is diagonally machined to form a slot 180 to relieve the width w andinterconnect the bores 172 and 174 with a passage of sufficient width topermit the head 160 to pass between the bores.

A plug 182 of resilient material, such as urethane or polystyrene, issecured to the bottom of the bores. Plug 182 is disced and is of asufficient thickness so that when head 160 is introduced into bore 172it cannot pass into bore 174 without compressing the plug 182. Thus, thehead 160 is confined between the plug 182 and the bottom of flange 176.However, as stud 124 is forced to the bottom of bore 172, the head 160compresses the plug 182 sufficiently to slip past flange 176 into thebottom of bore 174, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 9. Stud 1224 isthen pulled outwardly in bore 174 as the tree T falls free until head161) engages seat 176. At this point the stud 124 is securely latchedwithin socket member 126 since head 160 cannot be pulled past flange I76and cannot move past width w into bore 172. To disengage stud 124 fromsocket member 126, the above procedure is reversed by manually ormechanically forcing stud 124 downwardly to compress plug 182 and slipinto the bore 172 from which it may be easily axially withdrawn.

Thus it is readily apparent that this invention provides a device forchoking and severing a plurality of trees simply and efficiently byminimizing usage of manpower and minimizing skidder idle time. Theskidder operator easily accomplishes severing, choking and winchingmerely by operating a set of conventional hydraulic controls 184 locatedin the cab 22, as shown in FIG. 1. These controls 184 operate theaforementioned hydraulic cylinders which are supplied with hydraulicfluid through conventional lines from a conventional pump driven by theskidder engine, all of which are well known and are therefore not shown.By utilizing choker cables to attach the trees to the skidder, theskidder operator retains all the benefits of choker skidding, mentionedpreviously.

The apparatus hereinbefore described can also be used to choke prefelledtrees by actuating tilt cylinder 52 to move pivot head through 90 sothat choker arms 98, 100 are perpendicular to the ground. Clamp arms 82,84 are actuated by cylinders 88 to grasp and slightly lift the felledtree. Then cylinders 102, 108 are actuated to move arms 98, 100 aboutthe tree to secure a choker cable 120. Thus, choking of felled trees maybe accomplished by the apparatus, or the shear blades 68 and cylinders62 could be deleted to provide a power choker only.

It is readily apparent that many modifications could be made to thepreferred embodiment which has been shown and described above. Othertypes of fittings other than the stud 124 and socket member 126 arecontemplated, as are other arrangements for attaching the choker cableabout the tree.

These and further modifications are contemplated within the encirclingsaid cable means portion around a tree to the latch members has anenlarged head, and the other member has a socket for retaining the head,an entry passage opening into the socket for introducing the head intothe socket, and retaining means for retaining the head within thesocket.

5. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 4, wherein: the retaining meansinclude resilient means for restricting movement of the head between theentry passage and the socket.

6. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 3, wherein: the means forfelling a tree include a movable boom, the power means include a pair ofpower-operated arms mounted on the boom for encircling the tree, storagemeans mounted on the boom for storing each of the latch members, andindexing means to orient the latch members and enable engagement thereofby the arms upon tree encircling to attach the cable around the tree.

7. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 6, wherein: a plurality ofcables are provided, each having one end connected to the winch, a latchmember mounted at one end and a second latch member mounted intermediateits ends,

the latch members being stored in the storage means and sequentiallyoriented by the indexing means to enable sequential choking and fellingof a plurality of trees for subsequent movement by the winch.

b. A tree-harvesting machine, including: a tree-felling assembly movablymounted on the machine, a winch mounted on the machine and having a maincable operatively attached thereto, a choker cable attached to the maincable, and power means mounted on the machine for choking a tree to befelled by attaching a choker cable around the tree to operatively attachthe tree to the main cable for movement by the winch after felling.

9. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 8, including: a plurality ofchoker cables attached to the main cable, storage means mounted on thetree-felling assembly for storing the choker cables, and means mountingthe power means on the tree-felling assembly for sequential attachmentof choker cables around a plurality of trees to enable choking andfelling of a plurality of trees for subsequent movement by the winch.

10. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 8, including: treegraspingmeans mounted on the tree-felling means for grasping a tree before it ischoked to enable orientation of the power means and tree-felling meansrelative to the tree.

11. In combination with a tree skidder mounting a winch, a cable poweredby the winch, and tree-felling means, the improvement comprising:tree-encircling means attached to the cable for attaching a felled treeto the cable for movement by the winch, and power means for attachingthe tree-encircling means to the tree before the tree is felled.

1. In combination: apparatus for transporting trees, cable means mountedon the apparatus, spaced cooperating latch means on a portion of thecable means, and power means for encircling said cable means portionaround a tree to interengage the latch means and chokingly attach thetree to the cable means and enable movement of the tree by theapparatus.
 2. A tree-harvesting machine, including: means for felling atree, a winch, cable means operatively wound on the winch, spacedcooperating latch means on a portion of the cable means, and power meansfor encircling said cable means portion around a tree to interengage thelatch means and chokingly attach the tree to the cable and enablemovement of the tree by the winch after felling.
 3. The tree-harvestingmachine of claim 2, wherein: the cable means include a cable having oneend connected to the winch, a latch member mounted on the other end anda second latch member mounted intermediate the ends, and the power meansinclude means for engaging the latch members to attach the cable aroundthe tree.
 4. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 3, wherein: one of thelatch members has an enlarged head, and the other member has a socketfor retaining the head, an entry passage opening into the socket forintroducing the head into the socket, and retaining means for retainingthe head within the socket.
 5. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 4,wherein: the retaining means include resilient means for restrictingmovement of the head between the entry passage and the socket.
 6. Thetree-harvesting machine of claim 3, wherein: the means for felling atree include a movable boom, the power means include a pair ofpower-operated arms mounted on the boom for encircling the tree, storagemeans mounted on the boom for storing each of the latch members, andindexing means to orient the latch members and enable engagement thereofby the arms upon tree encircling to attach the cable around the tree. 7.The tree-harvesting machine of claim 6, wherein: a plurality of cablesare provided, each having one end connected to the winch, a latch membermounted at one end and a second latch member mounted intermediate itsends, the latch members being stored in the storage means andsequentially oriented by the indexing means to enable sequential chokingand felling of a plurality of trees for subsequent movement by thewinch.
 8. A tree-harvesting machine, including: a tree-felling assemblymovably mounted on the machine, a winch mounted on the machine andhaving a main cable operatively attached thereto, a choker cableattached to the main cable, and power means mounted on the machine forchoking a tree to be felled by attaching a choker cable around the treeto operatively attach the tree to the main cable for movement by thewinch after felling.
 9. The tree-harvesting machine of claim 8,including: a plurality of choker cables attached to the main cable,storage meanS mounted on the tree-felling assembly for storing thechoker cables, and means mounting the power means on the tree-fellingassembly for sequential attachment of choker cables around a pluralityof trees to enable choking and felling of a plurality of trees forsubsequent movement by the winch.
 10. The tree-harvesting machine ofclaim 8, including: tree-grasping means mounted on the tree-fellingmeans for grasping a tree before it is choked to enable orientation ofthe power means and tree-felling means relative to the tree.
 11. Incombination with a tree skidder mounting a winch, a cable powered by thewinch, and tree-felling means, the improvement comprising:tree-encircling means attached to the cable for attaching a felled treeto the cable for movement by the winch, and power means for attachingthe tree-encircling means to the tree before the tree is felled.